Pianist Who Drove 400 Miles to Play “Imagine” in Paris Speaks out

Post navigation

Artist who played "Imagine" in front of the Bataclan Theatre explains why it was his "duty"

Davide Martello was in a pub in Konstanz, Germany Friday night watching the Germany vs. France football game when explosions went off outside the Stade de France. As a musician, who normally goes under the moniker Klavierkunst, he decided to put his piano on a trailer take the seven hour trip to Paris to help out in his own way.

“I just knew I had to do something. I wanted to be there to try and comfort, and offer a sign of hope,” he told The Guardian.

The following morning after the attacks outside the Bataclan Theatre, Martello set up his piano and played a haunting instrumental version of John Lennon’s “Imagine”.

This isn’t the first time he’s done this sort of thing; playing in Paris earlier this year in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shooting. Travelling via bike, Klavierkunst has showed up in the wake of several terror attacks over the years doing the same sort of performances.

“I can’t bring people back, but I can inspire them with music and when people are inspired they can do anything. That’s why I played ‘Imagine,'” he explained. “I got to the end of playing ‘Imagine’ and just couldn’t carry on. Even if I wanted to, it was just too emotional.”

Martello has promised via his Facebook page to continue travelling to the locations of terror attacks to inspire hope.

It doesn't feel right for me to chill and talking to my friends here in Germany about my (past) experience in Paris…